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Godlike.Host offers hosted Palworld servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
For a self-hosted Palworld dedicated server, forward UDP port 8211 from your Internet-facing router to the server computer and allow the same port through the computer’s firewall. Pocketpair lists UDP 8211 as the default, changeable network port and requires router port forwarding. If the server uses -port=xxxx, replace 8211 with that value in both places. UDP 27015 is an optional Steam query or server-browser port cited by secondary networking guidance; it is not a universal substitute for the game port. RCON and REST API ports should remain closed unless you deliberately enable and secure those management interfaces.
Port summary: what each Palworld port does
A port number identifies a network service, while UDP or TCP identifies the transport protocol. Palworld’s dedicated server uses UDP for its normal game traffic. Opening an unrelated TCP rule will not make a blocked UDP game port reachable.
| Use | Protocol | Port or setting | When to open it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server game traffic | UDP | 8211 by default | Required for Internet players when the server keeps its default listen setting. |
| Custom game listen port | UDP | The value supplied to -port=xxxx |
Required instead of 8211 when you change the server’s listen port. |
| Steam query or server-browser visibility | UDP | 27015, when used by the deployment | Conditional; add it only when your configuration and server-browser requirements call for it. |
| Community-server advertised endpoint | UDP | The value supplied to -publicport=xxxx |
Used to advertise a public port; it does not move the server’s listening socket. |
| RCON or REST administration | Depends on the enabled interface | Deployment-specific | Only when enabled, configured, authenticated and deliberately exposed. |
Pocketpair’s Palworld Server Guide: Requirements (version 0.5.0) states: “Network | UDP Port 8211 (Default, Changeable) Be able to port forwarding by router configuration.” That wording establishes both the default and the fact that the value can be changed.
Why two firewall changes are normally necessary
Internet traffic reaches a self-hosted server through two separate controls:
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- Router port forwarding: the gateway translates an incoming packet on its public address to the server’s private LAN address.
- Host-firewall permission: Windows, Linux or another operating system decides whether the packet may enter the server process.
A forwarding rule without a host rule can still be blocked locally. A host rule without forwarding leaves the service invisible from the Internet because the router has nowhere to send the packet. A successful connection from another computer on the same LAN tests neither Internet routing nor the public address.
Prepare the server before changing the router
Confirm the listen argument
Check the command, launcher or service definition that starts the dedicated server. With default settings, the listen argument is -port=8211. Pocketpair describes -port=8211 as “Change the port number used to listen to the server.” Record the actual value, including any custom number, before creating firewall rules.
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Forwarding points to a private address such as 192.168.1.50 or 10.0.0.25. If the router later gives that computer a different DHCP address, the rule can silently point at the wrong device. Reserve the address in the router’s DHCP settings or configure a suitable static address on the host. Do not reuse an address already assigned to another device.
Check whether the server is actually listening
Start the server and verify that it reports the configured listen port. On Windows, netstat -ano -p udp can show UDP listeners; on Linux, ss -lunp is commonly used. These commands confirm a local socket, not Internet reachability, so continue with the router and external test.
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Step-by-step: open the default game port
- Set the server address. Identify the host’s stable LAN address, for example
192.168.1.50. - Confirm the port. Leave the server at
-port=8211unless you have a reason to choose another unused UDP port. - Create the router rule. In the router’s administration interface, open the port-forwarding, NAT or virtual-server page. Add an inbound rule with protocol UDP, external port 8211, destination address
192.168.1.50and internal port 8211. Save and apply the configuration. - Permit the host firewall. Add an inbound rule allowing UDP 8211 for the dedicated-server executable or for the selected network profiles. Restrict the rule to private networks when the server is intended for a closed environment; an Internet server needs the interface that receives public traffic.
- Restart if required. Restart the dedicated server or its service when the launcher only reads port arguments at startup. Rebooting the router is usually unnecessary, but some gateways apply NAT changes only after an explicit save or restart.
- Test from outside the LAN. Ask a friend on another connection to join, or test from a mobile hotspot. A device using the same router may reach the server through a local path even when the public forwarding rule is wrong.
Changing the listen port with -port
A custom listen port changes the destination that players must reach. For example, if the startup command contains -port=9000, create a UDP forwarding rule from the chosen public port to UDP 9000 on the host, and permit UDP 9000 in the host firewall. Many administrators use the same external and internal number because it is easier to document, but translation is possible when the router supports it.
Update every place that contains the old value: the startup command, router rule, host-firewall rule, monitoring checks and any instructions given to players. If the server is behind more than one router, each upstream device needs a corresponding forwarding path, or the outer gateway must be placed in bridge mode. Carrier-grade NAT can prevent inbound forwarding entirely; in that case, a normal port rule on your local router cannot create a public endpoint.
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-publicport is not the same as -port
Pocketpair documents -publicport=xxxx as a manually specified public port for community servers and states that it does not change the listening port. Treat the options as separate:
-portselects the UDP socket on which the server waits for game traffic.-publicporttells the service which public endpoint to advertise.
If you set only -publicport, keep forwarding and allowing the value used by -port. If the advertised number and the reachable NAT mapping do not agree, listings can point players to an endpoint that does not accept connections. Document both values when they differ and verify the resulting mapping from an external network.
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When UDP 27015 matters
Some current networking guides identify UDP 27015 as the Steam query or server-browser port. It is a conditional addition, not the default Palworld game port in Pocketpair’s requirements. Add a UDP 27015 rule only if your server configuration uses that query endpoint and you need browser or query visibility.
Keep the roles distinct: a query port can expose status or listing information while the game connection still uses the listen port. Opening 27015 alone will not replace forwarding the game port. If your hosting panel or launch configuration specifies a different query value, follow that value instead of assuming 27015.
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RCON and REST APIs are administrative interfaces. There is no single universal RCON or REST port for every Palworld deployment; the enabled server configuration determines the number. Do not forward a guessed value. First enable the interface, choose its documented port and authentication settings, then decide whether it truly needs Internet exposure.
- Prefer access from a private management network, VPN or an allowlist of administrator addresses.
- Use strong, unique credentials and rotate them if they appear in logs or configuration backups.
- Permit only the required protocol and port in both the router and host firewall.
- Disable the interface when it is not needed; a closed management port removes an attack surface.
- Monitor failed login attempts and server logs after enabling remote administration.
Players do not need RCON or REST access to join the game. Exposing those interfaces for convenience can create a more serious security risk than leaving query visibility disabled.
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Windows and Linux firewall considerations
Windows
In Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, choose Inbound Rules, select New Rule, choose Port, select UDP, enter the game port, choose Allow the connection, then apply the rule to the profiles appropriate for the host. Naming the rule with the game and port makes later auditing easier. If the server executable creates a program rule, verify that the rule still permits the selected UDP port.
Linux
Use the firewall framework enabled by the distribution. With UFW, an administrator might allow the default game port with sudo ufw allow 8211/udp; with firewalld, the equivalent is commonly expressed as a UDP service or port rule. Confirm the active zone, interface and rule set rather than adding a rule to an inactive profile. A container, panel or cloud security group may add another filtering layer that also needs an inbound UDP rule.
These host rules do not replace router forwarding. They only authorize packets after they reach the machine.
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1. Verify the server’s actual port
Read the startup arguments and server log again. A launcher may override a configuration file, or a typo may leave the process on 8211 while the router forwards a custom value. Check the local UDP listener with an operating-system tool.
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2. Compare the forwarding destination
Ensure the router rule targets the current LAN address, not an old DHCP lease. Confirm that the external protocol is UDP and that the internal destination port matches the process. Some interfaces offer a combined TCP/UDP choice; selecting both is unnecessary for the game port unless another enabled service specifically requires TCP.
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If the router’s Internet address is private, another gateway may sit upstream. Forward the port on both devices or place the downstream router in a supported bridge or access-point arrangement. If the provider uses carrier-grade NAT, request a public address or use a hosting approach that supplies one; local forwarding cannot override provider-level NAT.
4. Test from a genuinely external network
Use a friend’s home connection or a phone hotspot with Wi-Fi disabled. Some routers lack NAT loopback, so testing your own public address from inside the LAN can fail even when outside players can connect. Conversely, a local success proves only that the server and LAN routing work.
5. Separate gameplay from listing problems
If direct connections work but the server does not appear in a browser, investigate the conditional query endpoint and its configuration. Do not conclude that the game port is closed solely because a listing is absent.
6. Check software and provider filters
Temporarily inspect host-firewall logs, endpoint-security alerts and any cloud or managed-host security-group rules. Re-enable protections after identifying the needed exception; avoid disabling the firewall as a permanent fix.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
With self-hosting, you control the router, host firewall and server arguments, so the sequence above applies. A managed host normally supplies a public address and preconfigured forwarding, while its panel exposes only the ports that provider permits. Use the panel’s assigned game port and query settings rather than assuming the default. If the provider does not give router access, changing your home gateway cannot alter the managed server.
| Deployment | Who controls forwarding | What you should verify |
|---|---|---|
| Home server on a public connection | You control the router and host | Stable LAN address, UDP game rule, host firewall and external test. |
| Server behind multiple home gateways | You control several NAT devices | Every layer forwards correctly, or the topology is changed to avoid double NAT. |
| Managed dedicated-server provider | Provider controls the edge network | Assigned public address, panel port, firewall policy and whether query visibility is supported. |
| Server behind carrier-grade NAT | Provider controls the outer NAT | Whether an inbound public address is available; ordinary local forwarding may be impossible. |
Security checklist before publishing the address
- Forward only the game port and any explicitly required query port.
- Use UDP rules for Palworld game traffic; do not open broad port ranges.
- Keep the operating system, server files and router firmware updated.
- Use a stable address reservation and record every active rule.
- Keep RCON and REST interfaces closed unless their administrative purpose justifies exposure.
- Back up configuration files without publishing passwords or API tokens.
- Review router and server logs after the first public test.
The practical default is therefore simple: make the server listen on UDP 8211, forward that UDP port to the correct host, allow it through the host firewall, and test from outside the LAN. Add UDP 27015 only for a configured query or browser requirement, and handle management ports as secured administrative services rather than as player-connection ports.
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